Adjustable stock-rack.



E. A. FELDTKELLER.

ADJUSTABLE STOCK RACK.

APPLICATION man MAY 9, 1912.

1,282,557., Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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E.'A. FELDTKELLER.

ADJUSTABLE STOCK RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. I917.

1,282,557, I Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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E. A. FELDTKELLER.

ADJUSTABLE STOCK RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAV9. I9I7.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' A'mimvu P E. A. FELDTKELLER.

ADJUSTABLE STOCK RACK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. 1917.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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EDGAR A. FELDTKELLER, or MIIiWAUKEE, Wisconsin.

r h ADJUSTABLE STOCK-RACK. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR A. FELDTKEL- LER, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented-cer' tain new and useful Improvementsin Adjustable Stock-Racks, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in adjustable stock racks, the primary object of my invention being the provision of a rack which will provide a reliable, eflicient and at the same time pliable method for handling electrical meters and similarcontrivances and which may be profitably employed in metertesting plants and testing departments ofelectric light and power companies where a large number of meters of various kinds must be kept in stock and must be moved from-place to place for testing purposes and the like.

In this connect1on,-a still further ob ect of my lnvention consists 1n the construction of a portable all-metal stock rack which shall be strong and yet light and which will be capable of receiving clectrical'meters of all types, as well as various other articles or objects of. a kindred nature. I

A still further object of my inventionre. sides-in the provision of a stock rack of the above character which, with slight modifications, may-be permanently built against the wall of a room or may be built into a room in such a manner as. to provide corridors be-- tween a number of'the racks. i-

I A. stillfurther obj set which I have in view is the provision of a rack construction employing a supporting frame and a plurality of vertical and, transverse supporting elements adjustably mounted upon the frame and provided with means for receiving electrlcal meters in such a manner that the meters will be suspended in vertical position I and adjustable;

V V Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 0617. 22, 1918.

- App1ication'fi1edMay9,1917 Serial no. 167,499. 1 e

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view; V

-Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal scctlonal view", i

Fig. t is a-fragmentary elevation upon an enlarged scale, showingone of the supporting peg receiving slots;

"Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of- Figz, looking in the direction of the arrows,-'and showing a peg in place;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 ofFig. 1 with the peg in place;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of an ad-' j ustab-le rack fixed to the wall of a building; Flg. 8 1s a vertlcal sectional view taken on the line 88-of Fig. 7, looking in the direc-- tionof the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a rack of the 'ype to be built into a room and spaced from thewalls thereof; r I

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line :1010 of Fig.9,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentaryhorizontal sectional view taken on the line'11l1 of Fig. 9, also looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig; 12 is fragmentary elevation of a portable stock rack possessing additional features of adjustment;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 12, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig.14 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken through the upper end of one of the vertical supporting elements of the rack shown in Fig; 12;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line1515 of Fig. 12. 7

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The simplest form of portable and adjustable stock rack, constructed in accordance with my invention, is disclosed in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and includes an outside frame 10, preferably rectangular in shape and formed of T-iron, the stem forming web of which is "directed inwardly. T-iron cross pieces or feet'll are secured to the lower corners of the frame and braced by diagonal braces of bandiron 12 which are secured at one end to theside members 1 3 of the frame and which'have their opjoositeends to the upper faces of the cross/pieces. The depending webs of the cross pieces, at their ends, are cut-away to permit swiveledattachment of double roller casters 15. Obviously, the length of the cross piecesor feet 11 and the sizeof the casters will be dependent upon the size ofthe' rack which they support and the load which the rack is in tended to carry and intermediate cross pieces and casters may be provided, if deemed necessary.

Within this frame 10 and riveted to the inwardly directed flanges of the top and bottom members 16 thereof are upright columns or standards 17 formed of channel iron et with the flanges face to face at intervals to provide in effect tubular stand- ,ards ubstantially square in cross section, as

will be appreciated by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings. These channel irons are, of course, suitably bent or cut-away at their ends to receive the flanges of the frame I members to which they are secured by rivets 18 or other suitable fastening devices. Preferably, these standard are. provided at regular spaced intervals, but they may be otherwise spaced, if desired, as for instance where tl1e rack is to support a large number of electrical meters or other devices of greatly differing type. a I

Riveted, a shown-at 19, to these standards and to the inwardly directed flanges of the side members 13 of the frame and in vertical spaced relation to each other, are hand iron cross bars 20-which are horizontally disposed and which are preferably regularly spaced from eachother. It should also be'noted that eachmf these cross bars secured to one face of the :rack, is'directly opposed to a corresponding'cross bar secured to the opposite-facei-ofathe rack. Each of the supporting standards.17.isv stamped out at suitable intervals, such, as slightly below each of the cross bars, t-o provide keyhole shaped slots 21, as indicatedin Fig. 1, and as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. Each rack is provided with a plurality of remov- 5 able and interchangeable supporting pegs 22, the construction of which is clearly shown inFigs. 5 and fi -[Each supporting peg includes a shank portion 23 provided at one end with spaced -rannular locking flanges 24 and 25 and at itsotherend with a retaining head or enlargement 26. The terminal locking flange 2, is proportioned to pass through the larger=end .of one of the slots 21 and the shank portion between the locking heads is proportioned to seat within thereduced end of the slot. Furthermore, thepeg is so proportioned that; when applied in the manner shown in'Figs. 5 and 6, the heads will engage snugly against the inner andouter faces of the standards and the peg will beheld against any movement other than. vertical movement. ,The peg may be, howeven removed at any time by lifting it upwardly until its head 24: is. in alinement with the larger e'nd of the slot.

'The manner of employing the above described rack will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the supporting eyes 27 of meters 28"being engaged overpeg mounted in proper position upon the rack and the meters being held against any swinging movement as they rest in parallel spaced. relation directly to the wall of a building by screws .30 or either suitable fastening means and are punched out to provide the key hole shaped peg receiving slots 31. Secured .inparallel spaced relation to these supports are the transverse bars 32, of bandiron, corresponding to the supporting bars 20. Of course, pegs22 are provided with this typeof rack andmeters or other articles are supported on it in the manner alreadydescribed.

In Figs. 9 to 11, I have illustrated a still further modification of rack structure in which the rack is adjustable, but not portable, and is rigidly built into a room between v the floor and ceiling, but in spaced relation to the wallsof the room. .With this .form of rack, a; rectangular frame 33, correspond ing to the frame 10,"and formed-of T-iron 3a, is provided, the-upper and lowerrmembers 35 of the framerbeingsecured directly to the ceiling 36 and fio.or"37.of .the room. This rack, however, has itsiframe provided at spaced intervals with vertically disposed braces 38 of cross iron which, together-with V the usual vertical supporting bars 39, .of

channel iron, produce a rigid and strong structure:- The supporting bars -3 9 are, of

its

course, formed. with the peg receiving openings 40, and vcross bars 41, of band iron, are secured to the supporting bars and at their ends either to the inwardly. directed flanges of the side frame members. 341. or to the adjacent flanges of the cross. iron braces 38, this construction being fully shown inF-igs.

9 to 11. It will be clear that a number ofracks of this character may be built in parallel spaced relation, providing corridors be.- tween them so that ready accessmay be had to any goods stored upon them. Y

In Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, I have illustrated. aportable. rack which, in addition to.

the adjustment of the pegs, alsoohas-its' .ver-

tical supports and cross bars adjustable relativeto each other and to the frame. In other respects, it is substantially identical with the form of'rack shown in Fig. 1. This rack includes a rectangular frame 42, of Thom which may be preferably braced at its "corners by L-shaped plates 43 and which is mounted'upon'cross pieces 44, of T-iron, having asters 45 and being properly braced to the frame by braces 46. Supported by this frame and adjustable thereon are a plurality of vertical supporting standards 47,

of channel iron, and cross bars 48, of band iron. Each vertical supporting standard 47 is riveted, as shown at 49, to its opposed standard, the heads of the rivets being countersunk in the standards and the opposing flanges of the channel irons 47 making up theresultant compound standards, are cutaway at the ends, as shown at 50, so that they may straddle the inwardly directed flanges of the upper and lower members of the frame 42. Both the upper and lower members of the frame are formed at close interval with relatively long horizontally extending slots 51 which, at suitable intervals, are formed in their lower edges with notches 52, the notches of the upper frame member being in vertical alinement with corresponding notches in thelower frame member; Clamping bolts 53 are passed through the ends of the supporting standards and through the slots '51 and are provided with winged clamping nuts 54 by means of which the spaced portions of the ends of the standards may be sprung together to clamp between them the inwardly directed fiange of one of the frame members. In any given adjusted position, the shanks-0f these clamping bolts will be seated in a pair of vertically alined notches 52 in the upper and lower frame members so that the standard will be held against any movement. However, by slightly loosening the winged nuts 54, the standard may be raised somewhat to bring the shanks of the bolts out of the notches and permit movement of the standard laterally to another position when it may be lowered and clamped in place.

In like manner, the vertical end members of the frame 42 are formed at closely spaced intervals with vertical slots 55 and clamping bolts 56 have their shanks passed through the openings formed in the ends of opposed cross bars 48 and through these slots and receive winged clamping nuts 57 so that the cross bars may be secured in any desired position and yet may be freed for vertical adjustment at will. Each of the cross bars 48 is provided at frequent intervals with longitudinally extending slots 58 and the outer faces of these bars, surrounding the slots, are grooved, as shown at 59: Coupling pegs 60 are provided for adjustably securing the cross bars to the supporting standards,

each coupling peg including a shank 61 capable of movement in the slots 58 and also capable of seating in the smaller end of keyhole shaped openings 62 formed in the standards to receive the usual supporting pegs 22. The shank of the coupling peg is formed at one end with a head 63 which seats-in the channeledportion of the cross bar surrounding the slot therein so as to lie flush with the. outer face of the cross bar and at its opposite end with a locking head 64 capable of passage through the larger end of the keyhole slot or opening. These pegs are, of course, formed in'twolsections which are securedtogether after the shank has been passed through the slot of the cross bar.

Obviously, because of the connecting peg and slot fastenings between the cross bars and supporting standards and because of the manner in WlllClllZliB ends of the supporting standards are oined to the frame, such standards may be adjusted from side to side had, in addition to the article supporting peg adjustment common to all the racks disclosed in the drawings.

Although I have illustrated and described my invention in all its details of construction, it will of course beunderstood that I do not wish to limit myself to such details, but reserve the right to make any changes, within the scope of the appended claims, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a rack, a plurality of spaced vertical supporting members of channel iron rigidly fastened at their upper and lower ends, a plurality of fiat cross bars secured to the supporting members in vertical spaced relation, and a plurality of article-receiving devices removably engaged in and projecting from the supporting members between the cross bars.

2. A rack including a substantially rectangular frame of T-iron with the stem forming flange of the iron directed inwardly, a plurality of supporting members secured at their ends to the flanges of the upper and lower members of the frame and having their intermediate portions formed with peg receiving openings, a plurality of pegs remo-vablyaaplic'able' to the openings anda plurality o "fiat cross bars secured at points between their ends to the supporting members and having their ends turned inwardly and secured to the fian'ges'of the side members of the frame. I

3. A rack including a frame having its top, bottom and ends provided with inwardly extending flanges formed with longitudinal slots, the slots in the top and bottom flanges having notches'in their lower walls, 'vertlcal support ng members vhavlng lthelr ends disposed against the flanges of the top and thebottom of the frame, securing bolts inserted through said. ends and the slots in said flanges and adapted to rest in the notches of thelower walls of said slots, cross bars provided between their ends with longitudinal slots and having their ends resting against the flanges on the ends of the frame, securing bolts inserted through the ends of the cross bars and the slots in the adjacent flanges, securing bolts inserted through the slots in the cross bars and through the supporting members, and article receiving pegs engageable in the supporting members.

4. A rack including a frame a plurality of spaced substantially vertically disposed supporting members, means detachably connecting the upper and lower ends of said members to the upper and lowerportions respectively of the frame and arranged to Copies of this patent may be obtained for mam pen'int ust'nient of wise off the.frame,'a plurahty oi, cross bars, means detachably connecting the ends of the cross bars'to'the 'sides of the frame and the intermediate portions of the cross bars to the vertical sup 'Ortingmembers andpiermit ting vertical and ndependent adjustment of the cross bars, and article-suspending pegs detachably engaged in a the supporting members between thecros's bar's.

A rack including a "frame, a plurality of substantially"vertically disposed support, ing im'embe'rsjiro vided "with openings their outer sides, m'eans detachably connecting the; ends of said membersto theupper and lower portions of theframe and ranged-topermit adjustment of said mem-, b'ers lengthwise of the framefa plurality of cross bars each provided with longitudinal slots, means detachably connecting the ends of the Crossbars to the sides of theframe and permitting vertical and independent ad five cents each by addressing the Commissioner a: Patents;

Washington, D. C. v 

